Wagon end-board.



PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

' F. s. commas WAGON END BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 19Q3. RENEWED MAY 24, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

FREDERIO s. CONVERSE, o LYoNs, vNEW YORK.

WAGON END-BOARD. f

To all whom; it may concern: Be it known that I,FREDERI0 S. CONVERSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyons, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon End-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to wagons, and more especially to the end-gatesused thereon; and the object of the same is to produce such a latching means for the gate that it may be opened, or closed by the operator without neaessitating his going from one side of the wagon to the other, and the gate may be set at various angles.

The invention consists in the details set forth below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure I is a side view w'ith'the gate closed. Fig. 11 is a side view with the gate open. Fig. III is a longitudinalsectional view with the gate in an intermediate position. Fig. IV is a detail showing how the movement of the latch raises the hanger. Fig. V is aview of the latch from the rear, showing the hanger in section. Fig. VI is a detail of the hanger and its bracket. Fig. V1 is a perspective detail showing another form of bracket.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the wagon-body.

2 represents side-boards which may or may not be employed, and 3 represents strap-irons on the wagon-body leading to a hinge-rod 4, which is countersunk in the inner end of the gate for the purpose of making a close-fitting joint when the gate is open or closed and which connects with other strap-irons 5 on the end gate. The latter preferably has a wooden bottom 6, on which the operator will not slip, and metal sides 7 the whole being suitably braced by cross-pieces 8 and otherwise. The sides are spaced so as to pass outside the wagon-body and the side-boards 2 when the gate is closed, as in Fig. I, and the bottom of the end-gate preferably stands at right angles to its inner end, asillustrated. The upper edges of the sides may be notched,

as at 9, so that when closed the notches will.

Its body has a notch 14, adapted to engage a stud or pin 15 on the end-gate when the latter Specification of Letters Patent.

1 is closed, and its lower end is turned inward in a lip 16, as best seen in Fig. V. This latch and the hanger described below are in reverse soription of one will suflice for both.

several notches 21 in its lower edge. Its inner end is pivoted to a plate or bracket 22 by the pin 11, and near said pivotal point there is a stop 23 on the hanger, Fig. V1, or there are stops23 on the bracket to prevent the hanger 20 from falling too low or being raised too high, as best seen in Fig. VI. The lip 16 of the latch projects inward beneath the hanger, so that, as best seen in Fig. IV, the hanger is raised when the handle of the latch is pressed to the rear, while the forward movement of said handle does not cause the depression ofthe latch.

The parts are preferably all of metal except as otherwise indicated, and the size, proportions, and exact construction of the details are immaterial.-

VVhen the gate stands closed, as seen in Fig. I, the notches 14 engage the studs 15, and because the latches stand horizontal the hangers may fall to an oblique position, as seen in dotted lines. To open the gate, the operator passes behind the wagon and raises both handles simultaneously. This disengages the notches 14 from the studs 15, and the gate commences to turn from the position of Fig. I to the position of Fig. III. The lower edges of the hangers ride along upon studs or pins 25 at the inner corners of the gate, and unless the handles 13 are kept raised the first of the notches 21 will engage these ate position, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. I. Obviouslythe operator can thus open the gate to any desired extent. To again close the extent required. This operation is produced by the factthat the latch and hanger onthe former permits 'a certain lost motion between the turning of the two members.

In Fig. V is best seen a projection 26, which is formed on the latch below its pivot and eX- tends outward-in a direction opposite to the lip 16. This projection may be, and preferably is, employed, and its function is to hold the latch in a horizontal position, as seen in Fig. I, which it does by coming upagainst the brace 12; yet when the latch is raised, as

Patented Sept. 19, 1905. Application filed'April 18, 1903. Renewed May 24. 1905. $eri'a1 N 0. 262,084.

at the opposite sides of the wagon, and a de it, it is only necessary to lift its outer end to seen in Fig. IV, this projection passes around The hanger 20 is in reality a hook with studs, so as to hold the gate in an intermediare pivoted on the same pivot, and the lip 16 the end of the brace 12, and therefore does not interfere with the movements of the latch.

What is claimed as new is* 1. In a latch for end-gates, the combination with the gate hinged to the wagon-body and having two studs projecting from its side; of a latch proper pivoted to the Wagon-body and having a notch adapted to engage the outer stud when the gate is closed, a hanger mounted on the same pivot and having notches adapted to engage the inner stud when the gate is open, and connections between the latch and hanger for raising the latter by the movement of the former but permitting a certain lost motion between them, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a latch for end-gates, the combination with the gate hinged to the wagon-body and having two studs projecting from its side; of a latch proper pivoted to the wagon-body and having a notch adapted to engage the outer stud when the gate is closed, a hanger mounted on the same pivot and having notches adapted to engage the inner stud When the gate is open, and a lip on the latch standing under the hanger for disengaging the hanger from its stud when the latch is raised hutpermitting lost motion when the latch is de pressed.

3. In a latch for end-gates, the combination with the gate hinged to the wagon-body and having studs; of hangers having notches adapted to engage said studs, brackets to which said hangers are pivoted, and stops thereon for limiting the rise and fall of the hangers.

4. In a latch connecting two members, the combination with the latch proper pivoted to one member and having a projection adjacent its pivot, and a brace leading from said member to the outer end of the pivot and adapted to be engaged by said projection to support the latch; of asecond member connected with the first, and a stud on this member adapted to engage the notch of the latch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERIC S. CONVERSE.

Witnesses:

SANGER W. CASE, RAY M. LOWRY. 

